One of the most talked about type of “back pain” is back pain in pregnancy. Of course not even two women have the same pregnancy and every woman will surely have her very unique journey, but, somehow most of us, if not all, would experience back pain during our pregnancies. Although these pains could be different in nature, however they all affect us in the same way. Once they are in a chronic stage, they become uncomfortable, tiring, unbearable and irritable. They affect our mood and willingness to take part in social activities and that could result in depression.
So what really happens to our back in pregnancy? Why back pain? Is it our back or is it the pelvis that is not prepared to cope with the extra weight and pressure? Is this a part and parcel of the pregnancy package or could it actually be prevented? To understand this better, let’s learn more about the “back pain” that you are experiencing.
What are the types of back pain in pregnancy?
Your back pain during pregnancy could be one of these two types: True back pain and pelvic pain. Here is a short definition to each of them.
- True back pain is a back pain that could be there before the pregnancy. This type of back pain could have different causes and symptoms. Examples of this type of pains are a slipped disc, muscular spasm, sciatica etc. These types of back pain could have been with you on and off in your life time and you would have had episodes of pain free periods in between. Some people would have had the hidden “back problem” but not any “back pain” before the pregnancy, however, the extra weight and pressure triggers them off.
- Pelvic pain is a pain which could be in direct association with your pregnancy. Although this type of pain could also be seen outside the pregnancy period eg SIJ (sacroiliac joint) dysfunction, however, due to extra stretch of the pelvic ligaments and elongating the pelvic muscles over this period of time pelvic pain is very common within pregnant women. The symptoms could be very similar to the ones for true back pain or could be totally different.
What is True back pain?
Most of our everyday back pains are mechanical. A bulged disc for example could be a mechanical back pain. These types of pain usually come by wrong movements, poor posture or wear and tear.
So, here is an example. Think of a spinal disc as a donut and the jam in the centre as the nucleus in the disc. What happens if you squeeze one side of the donut repeatedly? Obviously the jam will be squeezed towards the other side, wouldn’t it? Here is what I mean: Hundreds and thousands of bending forward in our life time means that we squeeze the front of the donut (the disc) and as a result the jam (nucleus) would be pushed towards the back of the disc throughout our spine especially the lower part. This simply means that the squeezed jam presses on the adjacent nerves and causes pain and discomfort. If this happens at the lower part of your spine then the bunch of nerves called sciatic nerve would be under compression and this would cause pain and discomfort or even pins and needles to travel through your legs and this is called sciatica/sciatic pain.
What if the back pain has only started since pregnancy?
This could well be a “Pelvic pain”, a pain in your lower back, or even on the top part of your buttocks. Sometimes this pain is so local that you could put your finger on it and locate the painful area. It could just be as small as a 2 pound coin!! That could be the first sign to say that your pain is more of a pelvic type pain rather than a “true back pain”.
The bottom of your spine, sacrum, has two very strong joints with your pelvic bones, the ilium. These joints are two of the strongest joints in your body, simply because all the weight bearing of your top half will have to be distributed equally through your legs within your pelvis. Let’s not forget the important fact of your “centre of gravity” as a virtual point in the middle of your pelvis as well!! All these facts make the SIJ (sacroiliac joint) to be naturally very strong and solid. These solid joints will be under strain due to the extra weight through the pregnancy and start to play up.
How could pregnant ladies help their back pain during pregnancy?
Until a few years ago pregnant ladies with back pain were advised to rest and take it easy, however recent studies have proven that gentle exercises, mild stretches and pregnancy braces could play very important parts in controlling back pain through pregnancy. Of course, outside help is always available, so should your back pain continue to develop further, “Spinal Touch” or “Realignment of Spine without Manipulation” would be a gentle treatment to consider. Please read more about “Spinal Touch” on my website: www.fatemehthephysio.co.uk
About the author
Dr Fatemeh Rezaei-Sajadinia, PhD, BSc/Physio, MCSP, MHCPC, is a practicing consultant physiotherapist and body mechanic practitioner from Harley Street in London. She is the “TV Expert” on national and international TV channels including UK “channel 4” and “channel 5”. She is a master in spinal touch therapy, a technique which is known to very limited specially trained practitioners around the globe. Fatemeh is a writer, blogger and lecturer with more than 20 years of experience in treating musculoskeletal (MSK) problems specially back pain all over the world. She embraces every opportunity to prevent, treat, ease and cure MSK pain of any kind, in any patient, of any ability. On this path, she produced her very unique “Back Exercise DVD” which has been nominated one of the top three health DVDs in the market by “Women Weekly”. You can read more about Dr Fatemeh at: www.fatemehthephysio.co.uk.